Article by Jorge Cadima, member of the International Department

The Irish electors – forced to rerun the only referendum the EU wasn’t able to avoid and through which they courageously rejected the Lisbon Treaty – were now subjected to a campaign in several fronts, in order to rule their votes. On one side, they received carrots: promises that the country’s neutrality will be held and an European Irish Commissioner will continue to be elected. On the other side, they used the whip: an avalanche of terrorist propaganda, threatening with the economic disaster. Ireland is one of the most affected countries by the capitalism world crisis, and this fear campaign pondered this new referendum’s outcome. But those responsible for the crisis won’t determine its resolution. The crisis has causes and roots, deep down in capitalism’s own nature. This vote encourages the European imperialist polo integration processes and reinforces the power classes’ exploitation and war dynamics. Which, will lead to new and more disastrous crisis. Even in public statements, the varnish is already bursting. A Bundesbank high clerk made racist statements, remembering his predecessors in the 30’s, although currently, the "Jews" are no more the cause of all, but instead the "Arabs and the Turks" ( in the Telegraph, 09.10.04).

In Ireland, it’s not a coincidence that, after the results’ announcement, the media campaign to nominate Blair, Bush’s poodle, for the new European Counsel’s President post, created by the Lisbon Treaty, reappeared. His run as candidate is supported by the British and French governments. Sarkozy was clear: " I want a chosen top candidate, and not a candidate of compromise" ( in the Observer, 08.01.13). Although, its not definite Blair will achieve the post, whoever considers to be impossible that anyone so compromised with the imperialist militarism might become chosen for such an important EU post in the post-Bush era, would do better in looking at the facts. Not only the infamous Lajes’s Summit host, Durão Barroso, has just been re-elected for the European Commission presidency ( with the PS’ vote), as well NATO has chosen for its highest political post, the Danish ex-prime -minister Rasmussen, a fervent Iraq war supporter. The active participation in the war machine is the best visiting card towards to political careers at the imperialism service, under Obama just as under Bush, in the EU or the USA.

While the regime media makes an effort to sell - out a normality image, within a deep crisis world situation, the lords of the imperialist war proceed their crusade. General McChrystal, named by Obama to command the USA troops in Afghanistan (and Pakistan), announces the need of 40 thousand more soldiers (in New York Times, 09.10.05). NATO prepares its new strategic concept, to be submitted at the Summit that shall take place in our country. The last time a strategic concept was approved, in 1999, it was at the same time of its first war: the criminal aggression against Yugoslavia. On that occasion, "humanitarian" pretexts were called upon. Now, this time, NATO’s future actions go from piracy unto climate changes, cyber-security to natural disasters ( Rasmussen’s speech during the new risks for security Conference, organized by Lloyds insurance company, on 09.10.01). As said by a military analyst (Rick Rozoff, globalresearch.ca, 09.10.03): out from the mentioned risks " none can be considered, even if slightly, as a military threat". The "group of experts" created by NATO, in order to prepare its new strategy, has as leader Madeleine Albright , a Clinton ex-Secretary of State, who presided the aggression against Yugoslavia. And the co-president of the group was, up to June last, the CEO / director of the gigantic oil company Royal Dutch Shell. Facts worth more than a thousand words and so demonstrate NATO’s real nature: planetary armed forces, at the service of the imperialism great capital centres, headed by the USA.

Gore Vidal, the North-American writer, has no doubts:" A military dictatorship will be due [within the USA] very soon, (in The Times, 09.09.30). But in ultimate analysis, what will determine the course of the events is the peoples’ struggle. And towards that struggle, one must lay aside illusions, face reality and not be deceived by false promises.